24 CONCEALS HIS FOOD. 



disengage itself from its enemy, by rushing amongst the 

 surrounding trees ; no force can oblige him to quit his hold : 

 he maintains his position, and continues to suck the blood 

 of the flying animal, till it falls down exhausted with pain 

 and fatigue." 



When the glutton has captured a larger animal, he, after 

 satisfying the cravings of hunger, carefully hides away the 

 residue of the carcase, in readiness for another feast. A 

 thick brake, or the cleft of a rock, is his usual depository ; 

 and if the spot be at all exposed, he always covers the 

 treasure with moss. At other times, according to the Rev. 

 C. Gronlund, of Qvickjock, in Lapland, " he makes the upper 

 part of a lofty tree, which is qvistrifc, or well provided with 

 branches, his store-house, so that the fox may not have 

 access to the good things." 



Though extraordinary gluttony is attributed to this animal, 

 it seems doubtful if he actually eats more at one time than 

 other beasts of prey of the same size. In proportion to 

 his bulk, which does not exceed that of a moderately large 

 dog, he is one of the most destructive animals in Scan- 

 dinavia. "When he meets with a flock of sheep in a 

 Hage, or wooded enclosure," M. Burman tells us, " he 

 rarely leaves off slaughtering until the whole are killed, 

 although he is unable to eat much of them ; and seldom 

 returns to the carcase. He always seeks for fresh 

 victims." Like the lynx, the glutton gorges himself with 

 the blood of the animal, before he devours any part of 

 the flesh. 



The glutton is doubly hated by the Laplander, as well 

 from his depredations amongst the rein-deer, as from 

 his plundering the Stabur (a small building, placed in the 



